Box for holding and displaying pens or pencils or other articles



Oct. 18, 1932- JuM. SHIELDS BOX FOR HOLUING AND DISPLAYING PENS OR PENGILS OR OTHER ARTICLES Filed July 20, 1929 Lao Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATEN'T OFFICE JOHN SHIELDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO F. H. NOBLE 80 CO., OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS BOX FOR HOLDING AND DISPLAYING PENS R IENCILS OR OTHER ARTICLES Application filed Jul 20, 1929. Serial No. 379,670.

The present invention relates to a box or container of ornamental design and finish which is suitable for the reception and display of small articles or objects of various kinds, such as jewelry, wrist watches, foun tain pens, pencils, etc., and the particular embodiment hereinafter described is designed to' receive a fountain penand automatic pencil, or a pair of pens or pencils. The construction of this container isin some respects a modification and variation of the general invention described in my pending application forpa-tent filed January 26, 1928, Serial No. 249,537. The object of the present invention is the production of a box of the type mentioned which, because of its rugged and durable construction aswell as sightly appearance, shall be particularly well adapted to give long and satisfactory services as a container and holder of such articles as those above mentioned, and shall be adapted to serve initially for the display of such articles when offered by a dealer for sale. With the foregoing, and other incidental objects and advantages in view, I have designed the pen or pencil box described in detail in the following specification, the essential elements of my invention being more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, I have illustrated my invention embodied in a container adapted to receive two articles, as a set consisting of a fountain pen and an automatic leadpencil, although the construction may readily be modified to accommodate a single one only,

or several of such articles;

Figure 1 of the drawing is a perspective view of the box, with thelid or cover inverted and in inclined display position;

Fig. 2 is a crosssection through the box with the cover member applied thereto to close the same;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the base, or box body member of the box, with a false bottom unit removed;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of such false bottom detached; I

Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating the manner in which a wire support is pivotally mounted in said false bottom; and

Fig. 6 is a detail illustrating in perspective a ridge stamped up in the sheet metal element of a false cover as means for retaining a display pad in the'cover.

Like reference characters indicate like partsin all the figures of the drawing.

Describing now in detail the construction of the container illustrated in-thedrawing, the box body portion of the container, includ-' ing the integrally-formed sheet metal rim to member comprising connected outer walls 12 and 13, inner walls 19 and 20, and flanges and 16, covered with a finishing material a, may be formed according to the procedure described in my pending application above 1;. referred to. The bottom wall of the box body, marked 50, is formed of sheet metal, covered with 'afinishing material 51 which may be like that with which the box body frame is covered, and this bottom wall is secured by eyelets 52 to the underside of the flanges 15 and 16'of the inner walls of the rim member of the box body. The eyelets, which in the present instance, though not necessarily, are struck up from and are integral with the bottom wall 50, are passed through registering orifices in the flanges 15 and 16 of the body frame and headed down, the covering 51, extending over and concealin g the eyelet openings and providing an unbroken finish on the underside of the box body. The flanges 15 and 16 lie above the plane of the lower edges of the outer walls '12 and 13 in a distance equalto the'thickness of the bottom 50, so that in the finished box the bottom of the box exhibits a smooth face flush with the lower edges of said side walls.

Within the box body is arranged a false bottom unit which provides a'sightly finish to the inside of the box and a seat adjacent the top of the box body on the inside thereof for reception of the cover, later to be described. This false bottom consists of a rectangular tray, the upper edges of the sides of which lie below the plane of the upper edges c1 of the sides of the box body. The false bot tom in the. present instance is formed of a sheet metal member 53, cut out over a part of the bottom for the sake of lightness and covered with a lining fabric 54 which extends over the inside of the tray and around the top edge thereof to and down upon the outer faces of the sides and ends of the tray. On one side of the tray, at the angle between the bottom and the flange forming the side wall at that side of the tray, the metal and covering fabric are formed with two pairs of slits, and between the slits of each pair the meal is bent inwardly, to provide a pair of bearings arranged to receive the oppositely bent ends of a spring wire support 55, which in one position may be disposed horizontally on the bottom of the tray, and in another may be erected to form a support for the cover member next to be described.

The frame member 56 of the cover of the box is preferably formed of sheet metal, covered with a finishing fabric 57 which extends around the bottom edge of the marginal flanges 58 forming the side and end walls of the cover. Snugly fitting within this cover, and retained therein by friction is a false cover member which may be constructed substantially like the false bottom or tray 535l-, consisting of a flanged sheet metal frame member 59, covered by a finishing fabric 70. On two opposite flanges of the member 59, and preferably about midway of each of the longer sides, a rounded elongated rib or ridge 59 is struck up from the sheet metal adjacent the inside face of the false cover to provide opposite yielding projections past which the opposite side'edges of a pen-supporting pad or panel, next to be described, may be sprung to seat against the inner face of such cover. This pen or pencilsupporting pad or panel consists of a rectangular sheet of metal 60 formed with longitudinal curved corrugations to provide seats for one or more pens or pencils, two in number in the present instance, covered with a facing b of plush or other suitable finishing material which is glued to the bottom of the metal member and extends upwardly around the edges thereof.

The sheet metal member 60 and its plush covering are formed with short narrow orifices or slits, one at the side of each pen or pencil seat, through which extends clips (SI-62 of ductile metal constituting means for securing the articles in their seats inside the cover of the container. In the present instance, a' single strip of covered ductile metal, secured at its center to the back of the sheet metal member by tongues 63 (only one of which is shown) struck up therefrom and with its opposite ends extending through the two orifices in such sheet metal member, is employed to provide the two clips necessary.

The depending marginal fiange'58 forming the side and end walls of the cover of the box is arranged to seat directly upon the upper edge of the four connected sides of the false bottom member before described withinthe upper portions of the sides and ends upon a desk, for use, the support 55 may be elevated, and the box cover, with the pen and pencil supported by the clips, rested against it in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The ylelding connection of the display pad or panel with the false cover member (which is finished on the inside) permits the pad to be removed, if desired, to provide a neatly finished container for any purpose desired. The false cover may be omitted, if preferred, and the outer cover formed with inwardly extending rounded projections past which the display panel may be sprung to seat against the inner face of the box cover.

I claim 1. In a container of the class described and having a box body including vertical side walls formed with horizontal inwardly extending flanges, a false bottom constituting a tray supportedin said flanges and having vertical marginal flanges terminating below the plane of the top of said side walls, and a cover member having depending marginal walls arranged to rest upon the marginal walls of saidtray and frictionally engage the inner face of said vertical side walls of the box body.

2. In a container of the class described, a box body, a sheet metal tray in said box body, said tray being formed with bearings struck up from the metal sheet at the angle between the bottom and a side of the tray, a bail having the ends of its side members arranged to engage said bearings, and a removable cover arranged to seat upon the upper edges of the tray within said box body, said bail being arranged to serve when erected as a support for the inverted cover member.

.3. In a container of the class described, a box body equipped with a folding support, and a removable cover arranged to be supported in inverted position by said support, said cover being provided with engaging means on its inner face for securing displayed articles thereto.

4. In a container of the class described, a box body and a cover for said body having a pen-supporting panel secured to its upper face, said panel consisting of a covered metal plate formed with a pair of rounded grooves forming pencil receiving seats and orifices adjacent said seats, and a ductile metal strip secured to the-back of said plate and having its end portions extending through the orifices of said plate and arranged to form retaining clips.

5. In a container of the class described and having a cover member, a false covermember fitting frictionally within said cover member formed of sheet metal and having sides formed with inwardly extending rounded projections adjacent the inner face of such false cover, and a panel member having 0p posite edges arranged to yieldingly spring under said projections and seat against the inner face of the false cover member.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

JOHN M. SHIELDS. 

